Get your evenings back.
I'm Charlie. I sit down with you, find what's eating your time, and set up AI to handle it: missed calls, bookings, quotes, invoices and admin. Then I look after it, so you can be home for tea.
- In person, in Colchester
- Plain English
- No lock-in: you keep your accounts
Home for tea.
Calls answered · jobs booked · invoices chasedMade-up example: one missed call, handled while Dave's up a ladder.
- Missed call answered
- Job booked for Tuesday
- Quote sent
- Invoice chased
- Review requested
- Reminder texted
- Inbox sorted
- Rota drafted
- Post written
- Enquiry captured
Where do your evenings go?
An illustrative day for a sole trader. Switch between them and watch the evening come back.
Ask it the awkward questions.
Tap a question and see how a well set-up assistant answers, and when it hands over to a human.
A made-up gutter business. Yours is set up with your real details and your own rules.
Tap a question to start the conversation.
What are missed calls and admin costing you?
Move the sliders to match your business.
Estimates from your numbers and two cautious assumptions: 3 in 10 answered calls turn into work, and AI takes on about half your admin. Your Time-Back Report gives you real figures.
Get my real numbersThree steps. You never touch the tech.
- 1
We sit down together
An hour or so at your place. You talk me through a normal week, and with your permission I record it so nothing gets missed.
- 2
Your Time-Back Report
Within a few days: your biggest time drains, what AI can do about each one, the hours it could save, and the cost.
- 3
I set it up and look after it
I build what you choose, test it with you (try to catch it out!), train your team, and keep it running with a monthly report.
Practical help, not hype.
Calls and messages
A phone assistant that answers when you can't, plus replies on WhatsApp, email and your website.
Bookings and reminders
Online booking and reminder texts that cut no-shows.
Quotes and invoices
Drafted from your notes, sent on time, and chased politely.
Reviews and social posts
Review requests after every job, and posts written from your photos.
Email and paperwork
An inbox that sorts itself, and first drafts of letters and documents.
Tools you already pay for
Many apps already include AI that nobody's switched on. I set it up and show you how.
Busy local businesses of every kind.
Trades & home services
Plumbers, electricians, builders, roofers, gutter cleaners, gardeners and cleaners.
See how it helps →Hair, beauty & fitness
Salons, barbers, nail and beauty studios, gyms and personal trainers.
See how it helps →Cafés, restaurants & pubs
Cafés, restaurants, pubs and takeaways.
See how it helps →Small offices & agents
Accountants, bookkeepers, estate and letting agents, and small office teams.
See how it helps →Charities & churches
Charities, churches, community groups and their volunteers.
See how it helps →Something else?
Garages, shops, tutors, care agencies and more. If you run a small business, ask me.
Book a free chat →Clear prices. No surprises.
You always get a fixed quote before anything starts. I'm not VAT registered, so there's no VAT to add.
Start
- Free chatFree20 minutes. No obligation.
- Time Audit£195In-person interview and your Time-Back Report. Taken off the price of any setup.
Set up
- Quick winsfrom £395Switch on the AI in tools you already use, plus training.
- Setupfrom £495Phone assistant, bookings, quotes, invoices and more, built for you.
- Websitefrom £495A fast site with booking and enquiries built in.
Keep it running
- Care planfrom £99/moMonitoring, fixes, small changes and a monthly report. 30-day rolling.
- Team workshopfrom £295Half a day helping your team use AI safely and confidently.
I'm looking for five Colchester businesses to work with first: a free Time Audit and setup at founding prices, in return for honest feedback and, if you're happy, a short testimonial.
A real person, round the corner. And if AI won't save you real time, I'll tell you.
I'm Charlie, and I live and work in Colchester. You won't get a call centre or a chatbot that leaves you to it. You get someone who comes to you, learns how your business runs, and stays on hand.
- Plain English
No jargon. If I can't explain it simply, it isn't the right fix.
- You stay in control
Your accounts, your phone numbers, your data. Nothing is held back if you leave.
- Honest about AI
Customers are told when they're talking to an AI, and anything important comes to you.
- Looked after
Every setup has a fallback, and on a care plan I fix problems, usually before you notice.
Things people ask.
Do I need to be good with technology?
No. I set everything up and show you the few things you need, usually on your phone. Most clients never touch the settings.
Will my customers know they're talking to AI?
Yes. Assistants introduce themselves as AI, stay polite and to the point, and pass anything awkward or important straight to you.
What happens if something goes wrong?
Every setup has a fallback. If the phone assistant has a problem, for example, calls go to your normal voicemail. On a care plan I keep an eye on things and fix problems.
What about my data and my customers' data?
I follow UK data protection law, keep only what's needed, and set things up in your own accounts wherever possible. See the privacy notice.
Am I tied into a contract?
No. Setups are a one-off price, and care plans are rolling month to month with 30 days' notice.
It's nearly teatime.
Book a free 20-minute chat. Tell me how your week goes, and I'll tell you honestly whether AI can help. No jargon, no hard sell.
Book a free chatcharlie@backbyteatime.co.ukLocal 01206 number coming soon